Pneumatic friction-clutch.



J. A. VIEL'E.

PNEUMATIC FRICTION CLUTCH. ABBLIDATION FILED 00T.6, 1911.

1,045,918. Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. A. VTELE.

' PNEUMATIC PRU IION QLUTGH. APPLIOATION IIL-ED 001e, 1911.

. 1,045,918. Patented Dams, 1912.

' m sauna-sum a.

v Lu

A I RI e lwuwwtoi lo James flVz'ele @iyz v W A. VIBLE.

PNEUMATIC FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.6, 1911.

1,0459 1 8, Patented Dc. 3, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. A VIELE. PNEUMATIC FRICTION CLUTCH.

ABBLIGATION FILED 00T.6, 1911.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. A. VIELE.

PNEUMATIC FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.6, 1911.

1,045,918. I PatentedDec.3,19l2.

i/ 3% Jamea J7. Viele WW Maw W W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

nuns A. VIELE, or WARREN, rnunsynvnma.

PNEUMATIC FRICTION-CLUTCH. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

1 Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

. Application filed October a, 1911. Serial No Quit.

To all ivhom it may concern Be known that .1, James A. VIELE, a

v citizen of -the. United States, residin at Varren, in the county'of Warren and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Friction-Clutches,'of which the following is a specification. i

The invent-ion relates-to apneumatic friction clutch and an air cont-rolling valve for the transmission gearing of, a motor car,

wherein the power is produced by an internal combustion 'engine or other form of motor and'is' transmittedbby the'gearing to. the driving'wheels' of the vehicle.

The'obj'ectof-the improvement is to proride a friction clutch adapted to be operated and varying the speed thereofyin a gradual manner without unduly shocking or, strain-j ingthe gearing or joltingthe-car.

- The invention furthermore pertains to the adaptat-i'onof friction disk clutches for a pneumatic operation whereby the 'clamp-' ing of the disks'canbe constantly cushioned by theelasticity'of.compressedair; and combined therewith 'a. controllingjvalve whereby the pressure ofit'he air can be applied to the clutch in a varying degree at the will of the operator. v

The general "objects of the invention, thus" .set forth inageneral terms, as embodied with a preferredfoimof niulti le-disk clutches;

- are attained by the mechanism, construction and arrangementillustrated:inthe accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in vhichf j l Figure 1 is an outline side elevatioh of the torward portion of' a motor car, showingf the locationofthe operating-partsyFig'l 2., a

fragmentary plan view of the. rear portion of the motor truck, show'in the multiple disk-clutches and soineadacent parts in section," Fig. 3,.a'iseetion of-one multipledisk clutch on line'B"3,-Figs. 4'to 6, inclu sive;-.Fig. 4, a section of the clutch on line Fig. 3, showing the planof the driv ing head thereof; Fig. 5 a section of the clutch on line '5'-5, Fig. 3, showing the arrangement of the abutment disk-ring; Fig. 6,0. sectionof the'c'lutch on line 6-'-6, Fig. 3, showing a plan of one centrally feathered driving disk-ring; Fig. 7 a section 'of the clutch on line 7-7, Fig. 3, showing'the Ian of .one peripherally feathered drivenisk-.

ring; .Fig. 8, an end view, one side half in section; of the controlling valve; Fig. 9, a

longitudinal section of the controlling valve on line 9-9, Fig. 8; Fig. 10,'a detached lan' view of thebase plate. of the control ing valve; Fig. '11, a section of the valve base plate on line 1 111, Fig. 10 Fig. 12, a detached end view of the-valve case, showing the closure and the valve removed therefrom; and Fig. 13, a .detached inner end view of the valve disk, showing the arrangement of the ports therein.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

, The transverse axle 1 ofthe drivewheels 20f. the car is journaled in the side girders 3 of the truck,-.one of the cross girders 4 of which truck carries the-bearings 5' for the longitudinal driving shaft 6, which is located above the drive-wheel'axle 1; between which bearings'is located the low speed pinion 7 and in rear of the rearmost bearing islocated the, high speed pinion 8. for the transmission gearing, which pinions are keyedto the driving shaft. I

The transverse countershaft 9 of the transmission gearing is journaled in the side girders '3 of thetruck frame, in the horizontal plane of the driving shaft andadjacent to the free end thereof.- on the ends of which countershaft are keyed orv otherwise secured the crank disks 10 which are geared to the drive wheels by the connecting bars 11. Two multiple-disk friction clutches 12 and12 are mounted on the transverse countershaft, one on each side of the line of the driving shaft.v -Each .clutch includes a driving member 13 or 13 keyed to the countershaft, and. a driven member 14 or 14 journaled' on the countershaft; the driven member being shaped as a 'cylindric case 15.01 15 having .an' integral head closure 16 or l6r'at one'end and a detachable int-urn'edYinetal 'fia'nge 17 partially closing theother end, within which flange is located the. driving head '18 which is' feathered on the driving member 13 of theclutch, the outer portion of which driving head 17 of the driven member;

tures 19 in which are located a series of wooden blocks-20, the outer sides ofwhich blocks protrude slightly beyond the face of the drivingheadand receive'the abutment 1 lapping flange 17 of. the driven member.

' into the. body of'the driving head'so as'to form a-tightian'nular joint; around each edge Laosidere'd, an inflatable diaphragm.

feathered their inner edges on the sleeve' I driven disk-rings 30 are feathered by their -and..:31 in which are'located 'a series of backing 33, ,which wooden blocks 33 abut metal backing'33" abu'tsthe-wooden blocks and driven disks andthe abutment ring will driving and driven disks will be tightlygrooves 34 is preferably rovided along the sleeve portion 13 of the c utch driving memoverlapped by the inturned annular flange The overlapped portion of the driving head 18 is providedjwith a series of aperand friction of the inner face of the over-- 1 Two, ring diaphragms 21 ,and'QQare se cured face to face onthe inner side of the driving head '18 byx means ofthe washers 23 and24r applied tothe edges of the inner diaphragm 22 and the bolts" 25 passed through the washers and the. diaphragms of the diaphragmsf The uter diaphragm 21 -is';"pre'ferably made of sheet metal or other-iinflexibleiniaterial, while the inner ring is madeof leather or other tough and flexible material, 'anda tube -26 is passed through the aperture 27 in'thejdriving head and screwedinto corresponding aperturef .'2S, 'in'the, outer" diaphragm 21,-;t-h-rough which tube compressed air is. supplied be? tween the'adja'en't faces of the diaphragms "to force theiinn'er. fiexible one'away from the'outerrelatively rigid one. thus. making of theltwodiaphragms, collectively com 1' lea-tag er) at} portion 13 ofbthe drivingu rnember of the clutch,i and the. interveningplate-metal peripheries to the cylindric wall p15-of the driveninernber thereof; which driving disks 29 are provided with'series of apertures 31 wooden blocks 32zand 32, the sides of which i v rotrude be end the sides; of the driving disks and a ut' a'nd receive" thefriction of the faces of the driven disks. v

'- An abutment disk-ring islocated between the flexible diaphragm and .the adjacent; driving-disk, which abutment ring is ref- .erably "made in sections of wooden b ocks 33 secured t-o' the side of the sheet metal the inflatable diaphragm and which sheet in the adjacent driving disk 29.

The parts are so arranged that the driving freely fill the space between the integral head 16 of the driven. clutch member 14 and the inflatable diaphragm 22 when the same .is deflated; but that, when the diaphragm is inflated by compressed air, the

" clamped against each other. -The series of phragin, if necessary, and to separate the '35 are provided in the inner edges of the driving disks, in which grooves and notches 721R}, located thev compression springs 36 each v having one end abutting the'integralhead 16 of the clutch driving member and one half of .the other endjabutting the face of the sheetrnetal backing 33 of the abutment .ring, which springs serve to deflate the diaparts; when the leased. J

[On the; cylmdric case -15 .of one driven clutch member is formed orqsecure'd the bevel gear wheel 37 which 'me'sheswith the-bevel pinion 7 onthe driving shaft for lowspeed; and on the cylin'dric case 15 of the other driven clutch member is. formed vor secured the extension sleeve 38 which-is journaled on and extends along the'countershaft' across 3 and beyond the free end of the driving shaft pressure ofthe air is re-' and has formed or"s'ecured on' its end the bevel gear wheel 39,'-of-le ss diameter than the I gear wheel 37, ;which meshes with the bevel pinion 8 onthediivin shaft, for high speed, on 'thesame'sideoft e driving shaft as sald gear wheel .37, so that both wheels wi'll'be rotated-in thesame direction by the 1 res ective 'pi nions.- 1,

y thisconstruction and arrangement, it isT-evident. that, when the; driving shaft is rotated-sand the clutch-disksare not clamped to ther, the driven members'of both clutches w1 lrot-ate freely on the c'ountershaft at different speeds 'a'ccording'to the relative diameterof the gear-wheels, but that-when. the disks of "eithero'ne'or the other clutch are clltmped together, 'as by compressed-air" introduced through thetub 26,, this clutch will .rotate the countershaft according to the speed of its gearwheel, which. rotation is communicated to thedrive wheels 2'01 the 'car truck by means of thecrank-disks 10 and the connecting bars 11.

'Th'eaircontrolling valve 39 is convcniently located in'the-motormans compartment at the forward end of the car-40, shown in Fig. 1, which valve is composed generally of the base plate tl having two reducing-valve cases 42 formed or secured thereon and a cut-off-valve case #13 formed or mounted thereon .a-d-isk-valve 44 in the cavityof the cut-o -valvc case, the stem 45 journaled in one end of the disk valve, and the operating lever 46 secured on the free received from a reservoir, not'shown, into thecavity of the cut ofl valve case through the inlet tube 47 screwed into the apt-rture 47" in the wall of the' .case, and compressed 12 .air is carried from the cavities of the reducing-valve c'a'sesr42 by. the tubes '26. screwed, into theaperture'sf-aSY in the base plate and extended through the wall of the reducing-valve casesr Communication be-1 180' end of then-valve stem; Compressed air is v tween the .tubes 26 leading from the respective reducing-valve chambers and the tubes 26 of the respective clutches, iscomplet-ed by the swivel joint 26 formed'in the .tube' 26 co-axial, with the countershatt, and the duct 26 formed in the wrist pin 49, the crank disk andthe countershaft 9.

Two ports extend. through the head '51 of the stop-valve case-and lead'from the cavity thereof to the f respective chambers 52, formed in the base plate below the reducing-valve cases; andthe disk valve 43 which normally abuts the inner 'face of the same. headj51 of-the'stop-valve case, is-provided with the apertures -.53, which apertures do not register with the openings of the ports 50 when the operating lever 45 is inupfight position, but are so located that one aperture; will register with oneportwhen the lever is rotated in one direction, as shown; by broken lines in Fig. -8, and thatth'e other aperture will register with the other port when thelever is rotated in the other direction, .as shown'by' dotted lines in the same figure. 'The exhaust port -54 also' leads through'thehead fil of the .stop valve case from the cavity thereof, and a correspond; ing' circular-arc recess 55iis provided in the face of'the stop valve disk, which-recess is adapted to register, with both ports'50 when "the operating lever. is in uptightvposition, but is closed by the face of the disk with re- I .spect' to either port-when the-corresponding disk aperture registers therewith, so that air is freely exhausted from-either one orboth ports when the compressed air is cut off therefrom bykthe disk' valv'e.

Aztransverse diaphragm 56 is securedby v its periphery in the cavity of each reducingvalve case, to which diaphragm is secured the axial stem 57 on the lower'endof which stem is formed or secured the conical valve g 58 which protrudes through the ,corresponding conical seat aperture 59 in the lower end of the? casefan'dthe [free end of the stem extends upward through and protrudes above the upper end of the case. The stem- 57 is providedwith the'piston 60 operating in the cylinder 61 adjustably secured; in the upper end of the case, between which piston and the head 62 of the cylinder is located the spiral compression spring 63 which acts to resist an upward fiexure of the diaphragmand thereby controls the operation of the reducing valve.

Each chamber 52 in the base plate 40 communicates' with the seat-aperture 59 in the bottom of the corresponding reducing-valve case,and it is evident that, when airis ad-:

mitted to the chamber by the rot ationfof the operating lever in the proper'direction, the pressure of the same through the outlet aperture 48 from the-cavity of the reducing valve case will be controlled by the action of the compression spring 63 in the usualmanner 'for valves of,this .chalaeter. *Be- 1 tween the. earsias 64 'form'edor secured ion opposite'sides of the operating-lever are piv- "oted presser' arms 65 carrying the'press'er feet 66, which. presser feet'arei adapted to impinge the upper end of thecorresponding reducing valvefst-ems fwhen the operat inglever has been. rotated -'to'\;open the corre- 'sponding port 5( 'Each'presserarm extends upward atjaninterval from the side of the operating lever" and substantially parallel therewith, and .is stopped against rotationffrom the lever by the head. of the stop belt 67. the shank'of ,yvhi'ch bolt is passed through the" -i'= lotted ape1-ture'68 in the arm and is screwed into the side. ofthe lever. The auxiliary compression spring 69 extends freely through the apertime ,70 formed inthe operatinglever and itsend s'abut the inner'faces'of'the free ends of the presser arms 65; and it is evidentthat, when one presser foot 66 impinges the .stem

of the corresponding reducingvalve by y a rotation ofxthe'op'erating lever injthe-proper direction, the pressure of the foot on the stem'by a further rotation of the lever-in operating lever and-the free end of the op posite' presser arm being stopped by the head cfthe boltl67.

By this-mechanism,construction and ar-;

rangement, it is evident that, after the stop yalve has been opened by-a rotation of.the

operatingjleter li-n onedirection, a. furtherv rotaticliof the. ever in thesame direction serves .to add the strength-of the auxiliary compression spring 69 't'o the strengthof'the reducing-valve compression spring 63', to res sist the closure of'the reducingvalve; 57. thereby increasing the pressure o'f the air which may'pass through the'reducing valve,

substantially at the 'willlo'f. the operator.

"To start the car, the motor, not shown, being inao'peration to "rotate the driving shaft, andthe diaphragms of both clutchesbeing deflated so that the driving'members' thereof rotate freely on the countershaft,

the operating lever of the controlling valve is rotated in the proper direction, preferablyrearward, to open the port leading through the reducing valve to the clutch 12 carrying the low" speed gear wheel. The pressure of air inflates the diaphragms of this clutch;

and tends to clamp the friction .disks together to start the car, .which action is cushicned by the action of the reducing valve as contrclledby the compression spring therein and serves to gradually clamp the disks together to start the car without shoclr, the clamping of the clutch being graduated by the slipping of the disks amongeach other,

and the resilience of the compressed air, and

is further modified by the action of the reducing valve and its controlling spr ng.

"hcn it becomes necessary or desirable to 5 increase the air pressure, either for starting clutch, the operating lever 1s rotated 1n the reverse direction, which first permits an exhaustofthe eoinpressed airbetween thediaphragmsof the low speed clutch and phragm of the high speed clutch in the same manner as.above described for the loavspeed clutch, and It IS evident that the gr p.

of the high speed clutch can be gradually the maximum speed, and, if it has been found'necessary to rotate the lever to. bring into play the auxiliary spring, the lever an airj pressure controlled only by the sprin o the reducing valve. In event it sho ul fbe' necessary to again augmentthe' speed, 1 01" to use morepower as cending grakle, the operating lever may-be 'againarotat'edfto'bring into play the aux-' illary to increase: the 'grip of the clutch.

Iv claim a 1. A. "niultipledisk clutch including a" shaft; adriving member keyed 0n the shaft and having-a driving head feathered there- (n, there being apertures inthehead with wooden. blocks therein protruding from one side of. the head and an inflatable dia vphragnr'on the other side of the head; a

driven =member journaled 'onthe. shaft and having a cylindric case with .a head on one end and an inturned metal flange on the other end', the-flange overlapping the driv ing head. and abutting the woodenhloclrs thereof; a plurality of driving disks feathered on'the'driving member and having ap.- ertures with wooden blocks therein; a plu-. rality 'offmetaldriven disks feathered in the case intervening between the driving disks and abuttin :Wooden blocks thereof; and an abutment ring composed of wooden blocks abi tting the diaphragm and a metal.

backing a utting the wooden blocks of the adjacent driving disk.

2. A multiple disk'clutch including a shaft; a driving. member keyed on theshaft and imparted the maximum speed of this then supplies compressed ail" to the diaQ increased as described for the grip of the. ;lOW speed clutch, until the car has attained may then'be released 'far enough to relieve" the reducing valve fromthe action of. the presser footy. and the car will then run w th or an asand havin I a driving head featheredthereon, there ein'g apertures inrthe liead with wooden blocks. therein protruding .from one side of the head and" an inflatable diaphragm on the other side of the head; a driven mem her'journaled on the shaft and having acylindric case ivith a head on one end and an interned metal flange on the other end, the flange overlappin the driving head and abutting the woo en blocks thereof 'a plurality of driving disks feathered on thc driving member antl'iltavingapertures with wooden blocks thereiiiya plurality of metal.

drivem disks ,featl1e redin thev case interven- .ing between the dr ving disks and abuttingwooden blocks -there'of; whereby an infla- 1 tion of the""diaph ra'gm clamps the parts to;

. gether.

a} A multiple 'di skclutch including a shaft; a driving memberkeyed on the shaft end having a driving head feathered thereon, there being an'i'nflat'able. diaphragm on one slde of the \head';.a driven member our- "naledcn the-shaft andhaving a cylindriccase with ahead on one end and an interned flangefon the. other end, the'fiange overlapping the jot her'sidev of the driving head; a

plurality "of .driving disks feathered 011 the driving member; -,a plurality of metal driving disks-feathered in. the case and inter: vening. between the driving disks; and an abutment-ring het'weenjhediaphragm and i he adja ent i g disk 4. A multiple disk" clutclij'including' a .100

shaftg a driving member keyed on the shaft. and having a driving heajd feathered thereon, there being an'infiatable diaphragm on one sideiof the head a driven-memherjourpaledcnthe shaft and having Iaeylindric' .j case-With a head'on' oneend and an inturncd.

flange "onfthe-xothery-end,the flahge overlapping the other side of the driving head;

a-plurality of driving disks feathered on the drivingm'emher; a plurality of metal driving disks feathered in the case and in-.

tervening between the driving disks; where;

' by an inflationof the diaphragm clamps'the parts together.

n. -In,con1b1nat1on,two pneumatlc clutches,

.an' air valve adapted to communicate alternately with each clutch, a spring controlled reducing valve between the air valve and each clutch and supplemental spring cushioned controlling means for each reducing valve.

In combination, two pneumatic clutches. an air valve .adapted to communicate alternately with each clutch,-a spring controlled reducing valve between the air valve and each clutch and supplemental controlling means for each reducing valve.

7. In combination, two pneumatic clutches, an air valve adapted tocommunicate alternately with each. clutch, a spring controlled reducing valve between the air valve and each clutch, with means for exhausting air valve communicating with the clutch, a

from either or both of the clutches when sprin controlled reclucin valve between the air valve is closed thereto. i the clutch and the air va ve, and supple- 8. In combination, a pneumatic clutch, an mental controlling means for the reducing 5 air valve comrlnuiicatng with tlhe cutch, a '1 valve.

spring contro le re ucin Va ve etween i the clutch and the air va ve, and supplel Y VIELE' mental spring cushioned controlling means I Witnesses:

for the reducing valve. FRANK M. KNAPP,

10 9. In combination, a pneumatic clutch, an i RALPH N. Bnowrv. 

